🚪 Don’t Open the Door… The Thing On The Doorstep #1 Delivers Creeping Cosmic Horror

Image Comics and Top Cow are knocking on the door with something deliciously creepy: The Thing On The Doorstep #1, written by Simon Birks with haunting art by Willi Roberts. And let me tell you right now, Crusaders… this comic doesn’t politely knock. It kicks the door open, steps inside, and immediately makes things uncomfortable. And honestly? That’s exactly what great horror should do. Right from the opening pages, Birks drops readers into a chilling moment that grabs you by the collar. A man walks into Arkham Sanitarium, calmly explains why he just shot his best friend… and then insists he didn’t murder him. Yeah. That’s the kind of conversation starter that makes you lean forward and go,

“Alright… I need to know how we got here.”

The story centers around the unsettling friendship between Daniel Upton and Edward Derby, and the deeper the issue goes, the clearer it becomes that something is terribly wrong beneath the surface. Not the “he forgot to return a library book” kind of wrong. More like the cosmic horror slowly chewing through reality kind of wrong. Simon Birks plays the long game here, and it works beautifully. Instead of rushing toward monsters and madness, he lets tension build the way the best horror stories do quietly, patiently, like a storm forming on the horizon. Every scene feels like a piece of a puzzle you’re not entirely sure you want to finish. You know that moment in horror movies when a character decides to open the creepy basement door and everyone watching is yelling at the screen? That’s the vibe this comic gives you. Except instead of a basement… it’s the human mind, identity, and reality itself that might be cracking open.

Now let’s talk about the visual side of this nightmare. Artist Willi Roberts absolutely understands the assignment when it comes to horror. His art doesn’t just illustrate the story it creates the unease. Facial expressions linger a little too long. Shadows feel heavier than they should. Panels are framed in ways that make the world feel slightly tilted off balance. And that’s exactly what cosmic horror needs. Because the scariest part of these stories isn’t always the monsters. Sometimes it’s the feeling that something about the world just… isn’t right anymore. Roberts nails that atmosphere beautifully. There are moments in this issue where nothing overtly supernatural is happening and yet you still feel tension creeping in. That’s a skill that separates good horror artists from great ones.

The series is inspired by the classic H.P. Lovecraft tale “The Thing on the Doorstep,” but Birks wisely approaches the material in a way that welcomes new readers while still honoring the eerie legacy of cosmic horror. You don’t need to be a Lovecraft expert to enjoy this book. If you are, you’ll appreciate the homage. If you’re not, you’ll still get pulled into a psychological thriller that slowly starts twisting reality into something far darker. And that’s what makes this first issue work so well. It hooks you with mystery first. The horror creeps in after. By the time you reach the final pages, you’ll likely find yourself doing what I did: staring at the comic for a moment and thinking…

“Okay… something really messed up is about to happen in the next issue.”

Which is exactly what you want from the first chapter of a five-issue horror series. The Thing On The Doorstep #1 is eerie, intelligent, and dripping with atmosphere. Simon Birks crafts a story that respects the roots of cosmic horror while still feeling fresh and accessible, and Willi Roberts brings the creeping dread to life with art that quietly builds tension panel by panel. If the first issue is the calm before the storm, readers should probably buckle up because the next four issues might get downright terrifying.

SCORE:
4/5

If you’re a fan of psychological horror, Lovecraftian dread, or comics that slowly crawl under your skin and refuse to leave, this is absolutely a series you should add to your pull list. Just remember… If someone knocks on your door tonight and it sounds like someone you know… Maybe ask a few questions before opening it. You know. Just in case.

And as always, Crusaders support your local comic shop, grab your copy, and keep celebrating the incredible creators making comics the best storytelling medium on Earth.

Because here at Comic Crusaders, we’ll always open the door for great comics.

Even the creepy ones.

WEPA.

Author Profile

Al Mega: I'm Al Mega the CEO of Comic Crusaders, CEO of the Undercover Capes Podcast Network, CEO of Geekery Magazine & Owner of Splintered Press (coming soon). I'm a fan of comics, cartoons and old school video games. Make sure to check out our podcasts/vidcasts and more!